glbarlow

There is a lot to learn from following along that I will apply to Cheerful.  I'm also looking to see where you go next and at least for me I'm glad you're thinking smaller.  The Winnie is beautiful and amazing but just way bigger than I'm interested in doing, or for that matter have a place to display. 
 
Nonetheless the craftsmanship and design is incredible as is the work and other logs that are following along.
 
I like the figurine. Not a period sailor but, I'm assuming, a likeness of you just strolling around looking at the work as it progresses.  That's just too funny. (and if I have that all wrong, it would still be a fun thought).

Both cap rails have been attached. In the process I learned that I made the gun ports wider than they should be. The included patterns are fine but I should have been more careful with where I cut compared to where I marked, something for me to watch out for and be more careful with in the future.
 
I’ve completed the stern transom piece, but I haven’t attached it yet. There is a gap underneath that I need to plank. I’m trying to get a plank fitted before attaching the stern piece. The kit leaves the interior timbers (?) natural, but I decided to paint them so that they blended in.

Thanks everyone for following along. 
 
I’m pausing the build for a few days but will be back at it soon.  Please watch for updates.  
 

Thanks everyone for following along. 
 
I’m pausing the build for a few days but will be back at it soon.  Please watch for updates.  
 

Thanks everyone for following along. 
 
I’m pausing the build for a few days but will be back at it soon.  Please watch for updates.  
 

I understand the desire to plank it, I have a maple deck for Speedy/Flirt I got from Chris. It just looks so good I will use it. I have enough holly planked decks, this one time I’m going to forgo that experience. 
 
I do like planking the lower deck, I’m sure this model will look great with the hatch open. Maybe throw some fish blood in their to liven it up 🤣😂
 
As Soyglass says, we all knew you’d bash it 😊

I understand the desire to plank it, I have a maple deck for Speedy/Flirt I got from Chris. It just looks so good I will use it. I have enough holly planked decks, this one time I’m going to forgo that experience. 
 
I do like planking the lower deck, I’m sure this model will look great with the hatch open. Maybe throw some fish blood in their to liven it up 🤣😂
 
As Soyglass says, we all knew you’d bash it 😊

I’m not much a fan of fishing vessels, but this is a great looking model I may need to add to my collection once I negotiate for more display space. 

I understand the desire to plank it, I have a maple deck for Speedy/Flirt I got from Chris. It just looks so good I will use it. I have enough holly planked decks, this one time I’m going to forgo that experience. 
 
I do like planking the lower deck, I’m sure this model will look great with the hatch open. Maybe throw some fish blood in their to liven it up 🤣😂
 
As Soyglass says, we all knew you’d bash it 😊

I’m not much a fan of fishing vessels, but this is a great looking model I may need to add to my collection once I negotiate for more display space. 

Thanks everyone for following along. 
 
I’m pausing the build for a few days but will be back at it soon.  Please watch for updates.  
 

It’s fun to glue the stem and keel onto a bearing strip that is half its width while keep it it all centered well bound. I used my Admiralty White PVA glue here just to be sure I had enough time to make the alignments. I'm going to the yellow TiteBond glue for the frames so they can take the beating of fairing. 

First rule of modeling, when you think you have enough clamps, go buy more clamps. I’ve had these, and more of them, for a long time. The rubber bands though are new, the idea borrowed from another MSW builder. They are much more handy than I would have guessed in adding support.
 
I have all the MDF waste from prior models, the Vanguard was a good source of quality waste. I have and use all sorts of sizes I cut for various jigs. In this case they came in handy by ensuring the keel was glued exactly center down the frame by placing then clamping them along the sides - the various MDF sizes are just what I had laying around. The rubber bands give me more room to use clamps both for the centering and the holding down.

Was it too early to glue on the stern post and rudder, seems like it’s too soon 😄 Just kidding, both the sternpost and rudder are already put away for much later. It was nice to see how well designed the ship is, and a little positive affirmation that I got it on right - such a nice fit and look. I lightly sanded the keel and stem and made sure the bearding line was clear of glue.

I now have the mounting holes 1 inch into the frame past the keel. An important step to make sure some future day the model doesn’t snap off at the keel when pushed or pulled by a small grandchild. Now I can put the screws away forget about this for about a year…

The 2nd coat of WOP (the color is more even than it appears in this photo) and the frame is now ready to install bulkheads. I’m sure there is a very good reason for the out of sequence numbers aft and letters forward of those bulkheads. Doesn’t matter I just follow the plan and the clear direction to ensure the reference lines face the correct way.
 
It’s my understanding  it doesn’t matter which way the + bulkhead faces?  
I hope that’s true because I started with it and right now the glue is drying… I will install bulkheads 1 to 2 at a time triple checking each is square…and facing the right direction. So I’ll be back later with more excessive detail.
 
Thanks for the comments, likes, and follows. It’s always nice to know someone is watching. I did my last build log (and it will be my last build log there) on that other site, it was like writing a letter to myself, in an empty room, where even the crickets were quiet.

After much research I am ready to build Chuck Passaro’s  @Chuck  Revenue Cutter Cheerful 1806. And so it begins...
 
After completing nine kits over the years I am making my first attempt at scratch building. Well, I say scratch building but Chuck’s Cheerful plans, starter kit, wood package, and sub-assemblies along with his instructions and always gracious guidance make it a much easier transition.
 
While I’m a decent kit modeler I’m hesitant to post a build log for Cheerful. There are several outstanding logs already on MSW, some from builders I’ve admired, some I’ve just discovered in searching Cheerful, and of course the master himself, Chuck. I don’t know how I can add anything to what they’ve already done. They do say however every model is unique, I’m pretty sure I’ll prove that...
 
One thing is for sure, I’m going to learn a lot along the way. A good reason for a build log is having the council and support of the MSW community. I’m going to build it to the best of my ability, and I’m certain at the end of the build my ability will be a bit better than when I started. I’ll ask questions and share how I do things, hoping there is something useful for the next builder. I’d like to think my log will be a Cheerful read and not a Surly one (see what I did there…).

For proper motivation I ordered a copy of the British NMM plan for Cheerful. I plan to hang it in my shop (next to the NMM plan of Pegasus) once frame shops are open again, whenever that is (Covid shut down for future readers). These plans are wonderful to look at - the fact these drawings turned into a ship and stood the test of time to become today’s model … very cool.

We custom built our house, from the very first drawing I had the intent to include room for my model building. The architect didn’t quite get it initially, but the final blueprint has the notation “Ship Room.” We don’t have basements here in Texas due to the soil condition, so it’s fitted into the architecture tucked away on the lower of the three levels. The upside is it’s a nice sized well lit room for building, the down side is that there isn’t a lot of room for machinery, which I don’t have anyway other than the Byrnes saw and sander, so Cheerful, hand tools it is. The tub on the back right is loaded with my Cheerful collection of wood, sub-assemblies, blocks, and rope - ready to become a ship.

The first thing was to print off Chuck’s instructions from the website and have them bound in a spiral notebook, something that will always be by my side along with my iPad to cross check what I’m doing with other build logs, So thanks in advance for the good ideas and experiences I’ll find and happily steal, I mean learn from. Next I laid out the frame and keel parts from the starter package and thought wow, there are a lot of bulkheads, and felt just a touch better about my first attempt at single planking. Then I remembered fairing and thought, wow, there are a lot of bulkheads…

The starter package didn’t include the rabbet strip (as Chuck says, welcome to scratch building). For some reason I had the perfect 1/8 x 1/16  boxwood strip in my stock, one of the few remaining bits I had from our retired friend Jeff of HobbyMill fame. Then I wasted no time in stealing a good idea, so from BE’s log I used the waste from the hull billet to shape the rabbet strip at the bow, making it easier to install.

With the two hull parts joined I glued on the rabbet strip using Tite Bond yellow wood glue, it sets up fast! I pre-positioned my rubber bands but I had to move quickly to center the strip. I have some brass gauges, the 1/16th size allowed me to quickly run the edges to get it centered. 
 
Next up, the bearding line, the keel and stem...
 
Looking forward to comments and feedback. My log has begun.
 

They mailed it March 17th so...

Glenn,
 
I placed an order with Cornwall Model Boats recently and paid the second level of shipping costs.  This gave me a tracking number.  CMB said they shipped it on 7 th May but the royal mail did not pick it up until  13th.  It has been at HWDC ( Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre) since 14th May.  So things are certainly moving slowly so maybe there is hope for your parcel still.
 
John

Some fiddly work on the prow, starting with the laser cut bow rails and various photoetch parts for the vertical bow rails and prow decoration. 
 
The PE parts are painted yellow ochre, with the recessed central parts painted a contrasting blue or black (I chose black). Chris suggests painting the parts yellow first, but I didn't think I'd be able to do the recessed parts neatly enough and avoid getting black on the yellow, so I did it the other way round - painting the black first, cleaning the raised bits carefully with a fine file, then painting them yellow:
 


The next task was fitting the bow rails, which proved tricky. The main problem was that there were  gaps between the bow rails and the vertical rails that are meant to join them to the prow. I decided that this was because the bow rails were too straight. Rather take them off the model I managed to bend them in situ with my trusty hot air gun. I wet the rail with a finger dipped in water, pushed it inwards with the stick and blasted it with hot air until dry. Miraculously it stayed curved enough to touch the vertical rails. In the photo below I've already done the port side. Btw, I'm not pushing on the stick as both hands were busy holding the air gun and my phone!
 
As a minor aside, I think Chris originally intended that the ends of the vertical rails should locate in holes in the bow rails. The PE parts had little lugs on their ends (which I cut off to make them fit), and if you look carefully at the photos in the manual the bow rails have holes. Anyway, that's not how the design ended up and it works fine.
 
Remaining details were relatively straightforward - catheads, knigtheads etc. I departed from the instructions by not painting the crown on the end of the cathead yellow. I figured Cochrane could have afforded a bit of gold leaf so I left the neat little photoetch crown unpainted.


Back to the stern next.
 
Derek
 

First time using the weathering powders and it seems to have come out pretty nicely.  Compared my test carving piece with a single coat of wop the color isn't perfect but looks pretty good to the eye.
 

 
The next pictures are just the piece resting prior to adhering to get a sense what it would look like
 



 
I am going to go another round to see if I can match it even closer

I'm sorry to hear that it may be lost.  I just hope it's either sitting in warehouse waiting to me moved to the next stop or is traveling all over the country in truck.

I agree, it’s why the first thing I asked them back over a month ago for the tracking number, onLy to find out there wasn’t one. 
 
I recently ordered the plans for Cheerful from the NMM in the U.K., they also sent it postal airmail, but provided me with a tracking number and I received two weeks later (about three weeks ago).  I’m pretty sure my order is lost but without a tracking number, who knows...

I’m a Nikon shooter as well and appreciate the setup description. Photography Is my other ‘hobby,’ I’m primarily a nature and wildlife guy. http://glennbarlow.com.  I only pull out the portrait stuff for important things like my grandkids. I’ve shot photos of them on large curved white paper. I’ll have to get it out next time I shoot a completed model. 
 
Your photos are well lit, not as easy to do as some might think. The mesh in front of the lights is a nice touch, your own soft box. 👍🏻

I’m a Nikon shooter as well and appreciate the setup description. Photography Is my other ‘hobby,’ I’m primarily a nature and wildlife guy. http://glennbarlow.com.  I only pull out the portrait stuff for important things like my grandkids. I’ve shot photos of them on large curved white paper. I’ll have to get it out next time I shoot a completed model. 
 
Your photos are well lit, not as easy to do as some might think. The mesh in front of the lights is a nice touch, your own soft box. 👍🏻

Nice! I like the black and red paint scheme. The stem looks like it has a smiley face, or is that just me...
 
You’re going to make us all feel bad about our planking and photography skills, are you shooting that in a white product box?

I’m a Nikon shooter as well and appreciate the setup description. Photography Is my other ‘hobby,’ I’m primarily a nature and wildlife guy. http://glennbarlow.com.  I only pull out the portrait stuff for important things like my grandkids. I’ve shot photos of them on large curved white paper. I’ll have to get it out next time I shoot a completed model. 
 
Your photos are well lit, not as easy to do as some might think. The mesh in front of the lights is a nice touch, your own soft box. 👍🏻

No. Those are generally far too limiting for something like this, especially when comes to having to photograph something the size of Victory. My setup has two formats. I can switch from small scale which is what I've been using in these photos, to large scale which is what I'll use when I start masting this. The screen is a pure white blind that I just draw down from high up on the wall.
 
All images are processed with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Camera is a Nikon D5100 DSLR
 

The goal is simply to wind up with the second planking the width of the stern post, really either approach will do it - gotta sand something.